Purpose
The school's excursion program enables students to further their learning and social skills development in a non-school setting. Excursions complement, and are an important aspect of the educational programs offered at our college. Excursions provide opportunities for students to build onto their understanding of classroom theory by experiencing the ideas and concepts when applies in practice. An excursion is defined as any activity beyond the school grounds.

Guiding Principles
To reinforce, complement and extend learning opportunities beyond the classroom.
To develop an understanding that learning is not limited to school, and that valuable and powerful learning takes place in the real world.
To provide planned and purposeful learning in context.

Implementation
School Council must approve excursions requiring special precautions. In doing so, School Council will determine a schedule of excursions for the school year, will ensure that all excursions are maintained at a reasonable and affordable cost, and comply with all DE&T requirements.
Teachers, to ensure that particular students are not being excluded due to their inability to pay, should evaluate costs of excursions. Where particular students are being excluded as a result of cost, consideration will be given to fundraising or other means of allowing these students access.
The teacher in charge of the excursion will enter the schedule of excursions, including costs, onto the master planner and the term planner. Notice of upcoming excursions will also be published in the school newsletter on a monthly basis.
The relevant KLA will determine an 'Excursions Levy' for established excursions each year. Parents can bulk pay for the year's excursions or pay for individual excursions as they occur. To assist in this matter, parents a have an opportunity to sign over their "EMA" cheque if applicable to cover the partial or total costs.
All endeavours will be made not to exclude students simply for financial reasons. Parents experiencing financial difficulty, who wish for their children to attend an excursion, will be required to discuss their individual situation with the Business Manager. The Business Manager on a case-by-case basis will make decisions relating to alternative payment arrangements.
All families will be given sufficient time to make payments for excursions. Parents will be sent notices before the excursion date. Students whose payments have not been finalised at least one school day before the departure date will not be allowed to attend unless alternative payment arrangements had been previously organised with the Business Manager or teacher in charge of the excursion. The teacher in charge will notify any alternative arrangements regarding payments to the office.
Office staff will be responsible for managing and monitoring the payments made by parents and will provide classroom teachers with detailed records on a regular basis.
A designated 'Teacher in Charge' will coordinate each excursion.
Prior to any student attending an excursion, parents/guardians must have provided to the school a signed permission form. A signed "Confidential Medical Information for School Council Approved Excursions" must be provided for excursions requiring a special precautions form, and the student must pay the relevant cost of the excursion.
Information will be provided to all parents of non-English speaking families in a manner that allows them to provide an informed consent to their children attending excursions.
The designated Teacher in Charge of each excursion will ensure that all excursions, transport arrangements and excursion activities comply with Department of Education and Training guidelines. The "Notification of School Activity" form will be completed and forwarded to the Department of Education and Training (if required) three weeks prior to the excursion departure date.
The school will continue to provide the opportunity for teachers to update their first aid skills and provide a mobile phone and a first-aid kit for all excursions.
Copies of completed and signed permission forms, and "Confidential Medical Information for School Council Approved Excursions" if applicable, and asthma management plans where applicable, must be carried by excursion staff at all times.
A senior staff member will be contactable while the students are returning from any out-of-school-hours excursion. The Teacher in Charge will communicate with this person with regard to the anticipated return time if there is a reason for delay.
A school mobile must be taken for the purpose of urgent communication during any excursion.
Parents of students may be invited to assist in the delivery of excursions. When deciding on which parents will attend, the Teacher in Charge will take into account:
1. Any valuable skills the parents have to offer. e.g. bus licence, first aid etc 2. The need to include both male and female parents. 3. The special needs of particular students.

Only students who have displayed sensible, reliable behaviour at school will be invited to participate in school excursions. Parents will be notified if a child is in danger of losing their invitation to participate in an excursion due to poor behaviour at school. The decision to exclude a student will be made by the Principal, in consultation with the classroom teacher and the Level Co-ordinator.
When organising an excursion, the organising teacher needs to ensure that it will not clash with or duplicate similar excursions presented as part of the normal college program.
Excursions should not prevent students from attending exams, SACs or prevent students completing work requirements in other subjects.
The college process sheet for planning an excursion should be followed and submitted to the Business Manager.
The teacher in charge of the excursion must write the excursion into the Daily Organiser’s book and include, 1. Staff codes for each staff member attending. 2. Name and code of the class group attending. 3. Fill in the pink excursion slip and place on hooks in DO’s office at least a day before. 4. Provide work for any students or classes left by teachers attending. 5. Write out an orange yard duty slip if applicable, at least one day before. 6. Work and arrangements regarding supervision of students not attending must be given to DO at least one day prior to the excursion.
Approval for non-scheduled excursions must be sought from the relevant KLA meeting at least three weeks prior to the departure date. Information presented will include: 1. The educational aims and objectives of the excursion. 2. The names of all adults attending and their expertise and experience. 3. Travel arrangements and costs. 4. Venue details and an itinerary of events. 5. Procedures followed to ensure the safety of the students attending 6. All excursions need to be listed on the term planner and checked with the Daily Organiser to ensure that there is no clash or duplication with other activities and exams.
The above information will be provided to the Daily Organiser and the Business Manager at least two weeks before the excursion date. Permission forms need to be returned one week before the excursion so that the teacher in charge can decide whether the excursion will go ahead and so that financial arrangements can be settled.